Is Knitting for Grannies?

Are they surprised in a sort of looking-down-upon-you/that-is-so-out way? Do they look at you as if you are a bit of a looner?

How does that compare to the reaction you get when you tell people you sew?

A bit of background…

Up until a month ago, I had never done much knitting. I knew how to knit and purl, and even knitted a ribbed sweater and a scarf over 10 years ago. But never got addicted. It seemed to take way too long, I didn’t quite like the final result.

Fast-forward that to a month ago when I finally decided I shouldn’t get 15 angora balls go to waste and decided to pick up the needles again.

I got myself some circular needles, got myself a Ravelry account, watched loads of Youtube videos, took a one-on-one Skype class and kind of got hooked.

So much so that I knit on my way to work! Why waste a 20-minute return ferry ride, right?

Well, to cut a long story short… pretty much everybody around me has been having that sort of condescending reaction. Sort of…sewing is cool, knitting is for grannies. I was even told that the only worse hobby could be crocheting 😉

Not that I care much really…I actually think that there’s more hype around knitting than sewing…I even heard about yarn bombing

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19 thoughts on “Is Knitting for Grannies?”

I often knit in public and get some very mixed reactions. Mostly though people are curious because I’m invariably knitting a sock on 4 needles, which most people haven’t seen. Children are the best…they are mesmerised. And, as you rightly point out, knitting is a fabulously portable project.

I knit on the tube every day and other than the normal London reaction of ignoring anyone and everyone however random their behaviour, most reactions are really positive, including a hilariously curious drunk lad recently. I once sat next to another fellow knitter which was very odd. Were I to get any grief, I’d point out the crap acrylic scarves being worn all around me while I snuggle up in 100% merino.

When I was in my first year of Uni in 2008 I was seriously addicted to knitting (in the way I am to sewing now!) and would knit on the train home at weekends and every night when I got a chance. The most reactions on the train would always happen when people were getting on or off and therefore walking past my seat. I remember often getting strange looks, but I don’t remember anyone speaking to me about it. I once heard a fellow knitter on the train (the clack of needles!) but rarely saw any. Last year I used to crochet on the train to Manchester and had more conversations about it, mainly with middle-aged women about how they crotched too or about how they would like to start again! I never dared to knit or crochet in busy places at uni for fear of strong reactions, but I often find that people my age (20s) do knit or crochet, but like me they don’t go around shouting about it, but they do proudly sport their self-made items! Great question!

*lol* Maybe Italy is a bit backwards? Or maybe it’s Germany that’s a bit backwards, because most kids here still learn both knitting and crocheting at school. And I guess there’s a bit of a hype now and then, too. At uni, I regularly had at least one or two others in a lecture hall taking out their knitting. I have at least one acquaintance who I know also knits on the bus/tube. And, well, it’s also a bit of a thing here for a girl to knit her boyfriend a scarf in winter. Funny that, at least from my perspective, it looks like it’s more of a thing for either the granny generation (my granny kept me in handmade socks until she got arthrosis) or the teens&tweens.

I knit in public (including planes) all the time and often get the strangest looks from people. Canadians are, in general, very polite so I don’t ever get people saying anything to me but I have overheard Spanish speaking people on the streetcar talking about how I must have learned from my granny (which I did not) and “que raro mira ver esa chica tan joven tejiendo”. Little did they know I understood every word – ha! I also had a co-worker just last week tell me I was surely “old fashion” and “traditional” because I knit and sew. That really made me laugh because I am anything but traditional. I think there really is still is a strong bias in people to relate knitting, sewing and any sort of so-called “traditonal” craft with a sense of all things past. Having said all that, I would totally meet you in thirty years (or three!) at the London tube for a knitting in public session – fun times indeed!

My experience has been very different from Andrea’s…in fact I am surprised that she has had people giving her funny looks. When I am knitting on planes or on buses people inevitably start talking to me about what I’m making, how they’d like to learn, what their mom or sister knits, etc. (I’m 43, born and raised in Toronto, although I live in Ottawa now, and have also lived in other places across the country, e.g. the west coast). I’ve always been a knitter and know many knitters (particularly in my age cohort). In university, several of my friends knit in lectures!

It’s true that knitting fell a little bit out of fashion among younger generations, but it has been picking up again for at least the last fifteen years. In every city there seem to be knitting groups and shops frequented by people of all ages. The Yarn Harlot, who is from Toronto, has a very popular blog and has written many books that have sold well. I have already taught two people in my office at work to knit (including one boy!), as they expressed interest after they found out that it’s a fond hobby of mine. My track coach used to knit socks as he was watching us run!

Knitting is also fairly popular in Australia, at least in my memory. I lived there in the late 1990s and found that good knitting yarn was readily available. I used to knit on the bus on the way to work everyday and received positive comments if anything. I always figured that for both Canada and Australia the acceptance of knitting had something to do with our significant English/Scottish cultural roots. Also, in the case of Canada, let’s face it, it’s cold most of the year, and it can also be cool in Canberra and Melbourne, where I lived for a while in Australia.

Anyhow. I’ve always thought that both knitting and sewing are super cool! What’s better than being able to make your own garments?!

Where I live, most people don’t knit or sew, so I’m not sure that it’s associated with grannies. but my 20 year old daughter loves having me sew and knit her clothes. She’s away at university and I just mailed her a sweater knit from lace yarn which she promptly wore for 2 days the minute she received it!

Here, I think knitting is considered more “trendy” than sewing and I’ll see younger people knitting in public occasionally. Naturally, you’re not going to see people out sewing, though. The rare times I tell people I sew, I’m usually met with silence. Or the assumption that I just sew little girls’ dresses.

If I have an appointment I always take my knitting. Without fail, I get no knitting done as at least one person will want to comment and ask questions. People are intrigued. I got talking with one old man and it turned out his hobby was making grandfather clocks. Imagine! He was making one for each of his grandchildren.

Often, people reminisce about the old times, and it seems to make them happy.

I also take my hand sewing with me, so I can slip stitch my collar or whatever.

I find that people really appreciate that there are those of us still creating hand made items slowly, in a world that moves so fast.

I get the same reactions. When I say I can sew the reaction is usually “ooh, that’s cool” (quickly followed by “could you sew a ____ for me?”). But when I say I can knit (and I can only do basic stuff), people tend to think it’s a “grandma” skill… So sad!
I can embroider and crochet as well, and I’m pretty proud of my skills!

I started knitting before it became this trendy thing, so I used to get the “granny” comment a lot here in the US. I was an exchange student for a year in Japan and during that time, it was completely cool to take out some knitting and knit on the trains. These days, there are others who are knitting on planes and trains in the US so it doesn’t stand out as much.